Editors’ Choice Articles – Volume 12 (2026), Issue 3 from Emerging Contaminants

Emerging Contaminants is a leading platform for research addressing the potential ecological and human health risks associated with environmental contamination from emerging contaminants.

The journal publishes experimental or theoretical work that deepen scientific understanding of the nature, scope and impacts of emerging contaminants in the environment; technologies leveraging novel principles for reducing and controlling or mitigation of their emission and presence; as well as the development, implementation and efficacy of national and international policies aimed at protecting ecosystem and human health from these contaminants.

Discover standout research recommended by editorial board with the Editors' Choice articles from Emerging Contaminants in Volume 12, Issue 3, 2026.

1. Integrating direct Total Oxidizable Precursor (dTOP) assay with suspect and non-target screening methods for analysis of PFAS in highly contaminated soils

Oliver Salangad, Anass Bouchikhi, Francesca Cappelli, Fabian Simon, Jodie Buytaert, Thimo Groffen, Lieven Bervoets, Adrian Covaci*

2. Developmental disturbances and deformities in 4th-instar larvae and emerging adults induced by chronic 6 PPD-quinone exposure in the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius

Joo-Yeon Kang, Ji-Hoon Kim, Kiyun Park, Ihn-Sil Kwak*

3. Endless remediation? The legal paradox of PFAS stabilisation in Sweden

Malin Johansson*, Jurate Kumpiene

4. Human biomonitoring of PFAS and metals in relation to diabetic kidney disease: Evidence from NHANES and machine learning interpretation

Ya Gao, Yuqian Guo, Changsheng Guo, Jian Xu*

5. A 20-year bibliometric analysis of emerging contaminant research in China: A comparative perspective from global trends and the POPs forum

Yu Ma, Kaiyuan Ma, Ziyi Lin, Bin Wang*, Dan Zhang, Shuo Zheng, Yuxi Ge, Qianxin Zhang, Minghui Zheng, Jianxin Hu, Zheng Peng, Zhongjun Zhu, Gang Yu*

6. Insights into the occurrence and environmental behavior of legacy and emerging PFAS in the Three Gorges Reservoir region: Tributary deserves further attention

Yongxia Hu, Hui Chen, Ying Chen, Yi Tang, Tao Jin, Zongrui Li*, Shengjun Wu, Yunjiang Yu

7. Hydrogeochemical drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the Maipo River basin, Chile: The role of treated wastewater effluent

George J.L. Wilson, Ismael Casado, Daren C. Gooddy, Linda Daniele, Laura A. Richards*

8. Microplastics accelerate carbon mineralization in wetland soils through reed-mediated rhizosphere dissolved organic matter and microbial shifts

Zhiyu Zhang, Jie Gao, Haitao Wu*, En Guan, Xiaochen Yao, Wenfeng Wang